Okay new thought: since she has been handled very minimal she has come along way in one week. On my off days I am teaching her to lunge in the round pen and we also take walks around the property to teach her basic commands. My issue right now is when she gets excited she can get a bit pushy. My long range goal is to teach her to walk on a loose line. Question what are some tips to teach her to walk beside you without being pushy? I do use a rope halter when we walk which gives me a bit more control
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I used to drive my little horses in Martha quite often, meeting a friend there. She doesn't have hroses any more; dwarf dairy goats now.
betwys1
Well-Known Member
I enjoyed making cheese from the goats milk that Melinda's dwarf Nigerians(?) provided. Her friend Donna was a former owner of the Morgan horse I now own.
Brian W
When walking her she tries to walk ahead. She is not being disrespectful, but 4 yo with a faster walk than I walk. I want her to follow my pace. When she starts walking faster I have her stop and back her up a few steps. For most parts this does work, but after a bit she will start walking faster again. I am trying to find a way to keep her at a stead pace. Hope this makes sense.
You could try every time she goes ahead of you turn away from her(pivot) so you're facing her tail then walk off again. The theory is they think they know where you're headed so stop paying attention and just go on their own, you turning puts them back next to/behind you and makes them think maybe they didn't know where you were going. It can take a while depending on the horse but it does work pretty well without having to do anything 'rough' with them. It's like if when you stop walking they go past you then stop, you can turn around and they have to catch up and they start figuring out to stay next to you and pay more attention. I hope that makes sense?
Willow Flats
Well-Known Member
Here is an additional method that I used with my super pushy mare. I held on to the lead rope about 4 ft out from her and walked forward in front of her. When ever she started to creep up I turned, wiggled the rope while I was standing still (don't move your feet) and backed her up. Then, I turned and started walking forward again. I continued to do this until she just followed me at a distance, respecting my space and eventually all I would have to do is turn and look back at her and she would stop. This taught her to respect my space and see me as her leader. After a couple of weeks she walked by my side on a loose lead.
Good luck! I gotta say my pushy mare has taught me the most.
Good luck! I gotta say my pushy mare has taught me the most.
Willow Flats
Well-Known Member
sls- Sounds like we need to trade 4 year olds! Mine walks so slow I have to carry a little crop to give him a tap to move up!
When she gets ahead, stop, and lay the lead across her back. This will make her turn and pivot. When she stops, keep the pressure of the lead across her back. You may have to back up a step or two to keep the pressure. Finally she will turn her head, then her whole body will turn. Walk up then. You will end up on the opposite side. Every time she gets ahead, repeat that. Not only will it teach her to give to pressure, but it will help her pay attention to where you are.
Pitter Patter
Well-Known Member
LOL. I have short legs and am older. My minis walk at about the same pace. I have two very pushy mini mares. Since I am short this part is easier for me.. I have taken to walking with my hand on the side of the halter. Trying to teach some of what I expect, to walk at my pace and stop at the same time I stop..then I slowly lengthen how much lead I give them. If they walk on ahead I stop and depending on where they are I may wiggle the lead a little bit to back up. If they have turned at all to face me I pull them in a bit and have them walk around me and stand and wait. This usually works when they are excited and need to realize there is a human at the other end of that lead. I don't know if this is proper, but so far seems to work. I learned this when my kids were in 4-H with their agility dogs. Since I have been around dogs my entire life, but not horses I was worried this would be too predator focused but it seems to work for me. (Sadly, I often tell the minis to "heel.") I also switch up the side I walk on often. One only wanted me on her left as most expect, but I want them to not think quite so rigidly...Don't know if that's right or wrong either.Any tips for teaching my mini to walk next to me and not behind me? Maybe she walks slower than I do with my long Dutch legs?
My little Cini that passed was like that . She was more of a pull. But in the end she was such a doll I learned to slow down to her pace and not to be in such a hurry. On the ironic side of this was when she was free she loved to run like the wind and would try to engage Buddy to run. Sometimes he would but most times he would just stand in the barn happily watching her fly by.
Trying this one and seems to be working. It does take time.
Good thought. A lot of what people use in training canine also works on equine. I have used clicker training and my little Cini would do tricks and even a little sort of dance in following my turns and movements. Also taught my Buddy to pick up things and bring them to me.
I got the basics from The Click that Teaches by Alexandra Kurland. Then went from there. Each horse is different so no one method works the same. Example: On a horse that is mouthy is much easier to pick up things. One that is not scared of much would be more confident in working with things, etc
